Fox Rant

[aprophet]

A fox is fairly easy to call into shotgun range with a predator call . Just make sure the wind is not blowing into where you think the fox will come from.

I have called a lots of them.

X2 yea fox are pretty stupid they are easy to get close enough to shotgun that and trapping them has a slight learning curve but it ain't that bad LOL

 

[Ted n Ms]

Shooting predator can be labor intensive if your time is required to wait for it, even when calling it in. Plus you do not know to start effort until fox kills a couple birds first. Such a measure is reactionary rather then proactive.

I don't know how labor intensive 15 min. is. That's about how long it takes . Call early in the morning or just before dusk and it is exciting.

 

[Ted n Ms]

Such a measure is reactionary rather then proactive.

Well when something starts killing my livestock i become very reactionary.

 

[centrarchid]

Shooting predator can be labor intensive if your time is required to wait for it, even when calling it in. Plus you do not know to start effort until fox kills a couple birds first. Such a measure is reactionary rather then proactive.

I don't know how labor intensive 15 min. is. That's about how long it takes . Call early in the morning or just before dusk and it is exciting.

For fun, record number of mornings required before fox pops into view for kill shot.


I deal with predators as part of my job, sometimes in a reactionary manner which is always done as a last, not first resort. Shooting a heron, beyond permitting issues and documenting, requires carrying a firearm, rounds and stoppng what ever else could be done to take pot shot. I carry a lot of stuff around and locations shots taken from not always the most pleasant. Bagging first couple can be fun but thrill goes away fairly quickly when effort can cost more than alternative methods.


My Mr. Fox also does not come like clock work as it does not have a territory small enough for me to call him/her from where ever within that range on my timetable. It eats my chickens only rarely with other species making up bulk of its eats.

 

[Ted n Ms]

If a fox is close enough that it's getting chickens on daily basis. It should not be diffcult to call up. I just carry a shotgun and a call.

 

[archerobx]

I believe you already have huskies?
So as far as traps go your very limited. If it knows there is a meal it will continue until the food source is gone.
If its getting into your run and you can safely keeps pets and chickens away i would set right were it keeps getting in. If known fox trails then you can used a cable restraint.

As for calling, sounds like you have alot of neighbors so may be difficult to shoot. But if you can you dont need to make a sound. They know foods their.

If your in Pa, i cant lend you traps

 

[Southwind]

Nope, In GA. However, there is a neighbor two houses down with chickens that I heard kickin up warning squawk a couple nights ago. Also one across the dingle from us who gave us some gamebirds, and he still has a good size flock. The foxes seem to be makin the rounds. DH took one of the huskies and tracked it down the dingle about 300 yards til they came to a culvert running under the road.
I am not adverse to trappin it, I thought of getting a humane trap from animal control, I am just not sure the foxes are stupid enough to get caught in one.
And I have never heard of a "predator call" before. Someone wanna edu-ma-cate me?
And these foxes actually do seem to have a routine they follow. I am able to predict when one will show now.
So far, not more losses, but we can't let the birds out to freerange either.

 

[archerobx]

If you know there schedule that well then just set up with no calling.
if you are going to call i recommend a bulb squeaker. Simple and effective

 

[centrarchid]

Nope, In GA. However, there is a neighbor two houses down with chickens that I heard kickin up warning squawk a couple nights ago. Also one across the dingle from us who gave us some gamebirds, and he still has a good size flock. The foxes seem to be makin the rounds. DH took one of the huskies and tracked it down the dingle about 300 yards til they came to a culvert running under the road.
I am not adverse to trappin it, I thought of getting a humane trap from animal control, I am just not sure the foxes are stupid enough to get caught in one.
And I have never heard of a "predator call" before. Someone wanna edu-ma-cate me?
And these foxes actually do seem to have a routine they follow. I am able to predict when one will show now.
So far, not more losses, but we can't let the birds out to freerange either.

Predator calls can be a sound you make or the recording of something like a rabbit being attacked. We used jam-boxes on roof of vehicle to broadcast over feild or other location where you could get a clean shot. When used at night, great horned owls would sometimes littorally hit jam-box. Problem is you do not know if you are calling in culprit. Not all predators coming into close proximity with flock will always be targeting it. I used to have coyotes that would littorally walk between pens but make no effort to go after birds they could easily have grabbed. Same with red foxes, one from east is a problem while one coming out of southwest does not seem interest in chickens.

Predicatability of fox making rounds suggests to me you are near den site or at least core of territory.

 

[Southwind]

Yeah, we are thinkin near a den site. I will let DH know about the predator calls, he is the mossberg operator. Thanks for all the advice y'all. Much appreciated.